A coaching journey of growth, leadership & impact

From the Corporate World to Coaching

For over 15 years, I worked in the corporate world, initially training as a chartered surveyor before moving into leadership roles. From leading teams to managing projects, I’ve always believed in the power of personal development. It wasn’t just about my own growth—it was about helping the people I worked with grow, too. Over time, I became more curious about what drives success within organisations and teams. This curiosity led me to pursue a postgraduate diploma in Organisational Leadership at Oxford University. In 2018, I took a leap of faith and embraced voluntary redundancy, giving me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in helping organisations and individuals develop their potential.

I wanted to understand what it truly takes to be an exceptional coach. A friend of mine had studied with The Coaching Academy, so I decided to attend their free Introduction to Life Coaching event. From the first moment, I knew this was the path I wanted to follow. The experience was incredible - I met amazing people and refined my coaching style. It also gave me the chance to address some unhelpful habits. At the time, I was working in associate roles while studying part-time. I coached as many people as I could to gain practical experience, because I believe no book can teach you as much as real-life conversations.

My journey as a coach took a couple of years to fully unfold. I completed the Coaching Academy workshops and chose the Personal Performance (Life Coaching) Diploma coaching pathway, ultimately graduating in 2020. But I didn’t stop there. I quickly moved on to the International Coach Federation (ICF) pathway to get accredited. This involved mentorship and even more practice. By this point, I was charging for coaching and building an income through associate work, particularly focusing on leadership development programmes and management training.

Building CAPE People Development

A significant moment came when I reconnected with someone, I’d worked with over 10 years ago. They had followed a similar coaching journey, and we shared a passion for supporting managers and leaders in growing their skills, boosting their confidence, and making a bigger impact. Together, we recognised a gap in the market—many leadership development programmes were theory-heavy and lacked practical, experiential learning. That’s when we founded CAPE People Development.

Through CAPE, we created a flagship programme for people managers. It combines online workshops, one-on-one coaching, and practical skill-building to help managers become more effective leaders. But we wanted to go even further. We recognised that many charities and third-sector organisations struggled to access quality coaching due to budget constraints and limited internal resources. So, we introduced a social impact element: through our CAPE Open programme, we pair managers with charity employees or volunteers for coaching style development conversations. These conversations not only help the managers develop their skills and confidence but also provide valuable coaching support to people in the charity sector. To date, we’ve donated over 200 hours of free coaching to charities—something we’re incredibly proud of. We’ve even been nominated for and won awards!

Building Stronger Leaders and Teams

At CAPE, our work operates on multiple levels. We coach managers and leaders, who then pass on their newfound skills to charities. We also guide leaders and organisations through important transitions—whether it’s navigating periods of change, growth, or tough times. One of the most common challenges we address is working with founder or owner-led businesses. As these businesses grow, their leaders want to ensure that their people grow alongside them. We’ve worked with over 20 founder-led businesses now, supporting them and their people to be successful.

When I first started coaching professionally, I focused on private individuals navigating career transitions. Although this is no longer the core of our business, I still work with two to three individuals each month who want to enhance their career fulfilment and performance. These coaching sessions are always a joy for me. We strive to make coaching accessible, offering a price point that everyday people can afford. It’s all about providing that vital thinking space and the support to navigate their careers with confidence. Clients have secured new roles, changed industries and have found their mojo when they felt they had lost it!

I’ve worked with individuals at various stages of their careers—from those just starting out to those nearing retirement and looking to shift to a portfolio career. This combination of working with organisations on their team and leadership development and private coaching is incredibly fulfilling. No two days are the same - some days I’m coaching one-on-one online, others I’m delivering workshops in person, or even speaking at networking events, like those hosted by our regional Chamber of Commerce.

Lifelong Learning and Looking Ahead

Lifelong learning is crucial for any adult, and I’ve been fortunate to have great opportunities for growth—both through my experiences and through formal education. Recently, I completed a certificate in adult vertical development, which deepened my understanding of transformational learning. I’ve also become an accredited DISC provider through the Coaching Academy, which I use with both private and corporate clients. I stay connected with the broader coaching community by attending newsletters, events, and webinars, which helps me continue to evolve as a coach. I’m also now ICF PCC accredited with hundreds of hours of coaching experience!

When people ask me what my favourite coaching question is, I always respond with, “It depends.” I’ve learned that the right question isn’t about following a rigid process - it’s about trusting your instincts and knowing what will serve your client best at that moment. The most helpful question is often the one that flows from what your client has just said. It’s about being curious, staying present, and focusing on what will help them get to where they need to go. In simple terms: Keep it short, keep it clear, and always ensure it’s in service of the client.

We’re exploring how we can do more to support founder/owner led organisations as CAPE moves forward. How we can partner with clients and really help them measure the return on investment in people development. And of course, how we can continue to make coaching accessible to as many people as possible.

This journey has been anything but linear - but it’s been incredibly rewarding. Coaching is my passion, and every conversation, every breakthrough, and every new learning opportunity reminds me why I chose this path in the first place. It’s about growth- both for myself and for everyone I have the privilege of working with.

Thank you Lynsey for sharing your inspiring coaching journey with us!